Good News, Izhmash Scores $400 Million Missile Contact

RIA reports that our favorite Russian gun maker Izhmash, makers of the AK and Saiga rifles, has just won a $400 million ($13 billion rubles) contact to produce Vikhr-1 missiles, long-range anti-tank missile usually fired from attack helicopters. This will go a long way to helping the struggling company back to solvency.

The Vikhr-1 contract will enable Izhmash to tackle almost all of its financial problems, he said in late May, adding its current debt stands at 3 billion rubles.

Busygin also said the company has asked the Russian government for financial assistance to complete its merger with gun-maker Izhmekh under the Kalashnikov brand. The two companies, both based in the city of Izhevsk, have been experiencing financial difficulties and a sharp drop in production output.

The two enterprises will become the new Kalashnikov Corporation, first proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees the Russian defense industry. It is due to be registered in time for Russia’s Arms Makers’ Day, September 19.

Take off the blades, lengthen the wings and you have a COIN aircraft. Anyway you look at it I would not want to be driving in an APC or similar vehicle and have to worry about those. I’ll never forget how an A-10 was able to sneak up on our column during an exercise in Germany. It was flying on the forward face of the mountain and I still didn’t see or hear it until it was close and could have wiped out within second the whole troop. When the whole Iraq things happened I felt for those poor souls trapped in those armored vehicle being torn up by A-10s and Apaches. Sitting ducks like the Marianas Turkey shoot. They were our enemy but to die like that is a horror. They used the DU rounds then and they just torn through anything and everything.

how is this good news? this is bad news. russia hates america. and I am sure they would love to use all these new missiles on us. while we are at it. why dont we cheer on iran getting nuclear missiles? because it is dumb to cheer on your enemies.

More missiles for the Government of Syria to quash the Islamist YEAH!!!!!

Vladimir K

That’s probably good news but I live 3 hours from Izhmash (which is in Izhevsk) and I’m playing airsoft at the territory of Izhmash (at machine shops that are no longer running) a few times a year. I doubt either me here or you in US would benifite from Izhmash getting this contract because that won’t affect small arms production. My buddy and I were trying to acquire a good 7.62×39 Saiga for his range (~400 yards) last fall and failed to do so – most shops we’ve called did not has it in stock and those who did has Saiga with small-to-moderate defects, so I’ve ended up selling him my almost 10 years old Saiga that is way better then what they do sell right now.
Probably you guys recieve Izhmash guns that has some better QC but here it’s not so good.

Esh325

It would be strange if some of that 400 million weren’t allocated to smalls production and modernization. I often hear that from Russians that small arms made for domestic use often lack quality compared to export small arms.

John

Didn’t Izhmash have financial troubles and file for bankruptcy not too long ago? A $400 Million contract would kept it running for at least a bit longer.

As long as it stays afloat and doesn’t discontinue its small arms production, it would be a good thing.